VI. CORRESPONDENCE WITH JAY LOVESTONE,, 1954-1959

Arranged chronologically. Carbon copies of letters describing conditions in Latin America written by Robert Alexander to Jay Lovestone when Lovestone was head of the International Department of the American Federation of Labor and later the AFL-CIO. Letters are long and detailed, and apparently were sent with copies of Alexander's interviews enclosed. All the letters have a similar format: Alexander describes the general political and economic situations, the outlook towards international affairs, the trade unions, and finally makes recommendations about how to counter communist influence in the labor unions. The majority of the letters focus on individual countries, but some describe two or more. Countries include Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, British Guiana, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Surinam, Trinidad and Uruguay. Of particular interest is Alexander's description of his visit to Guatemala in January 1954, shortly before the U.S. government's intervention in that country. Alexander describes communist domination of the unions and the absence of a viable democratic leftist party. Also of interest is Alexander's description of a revolt attempt in Buenos Aires in June 1956 and the repressive measures that followed it. Alexander made two trips to Cuba in 1959. In January, he commented on the relationships between different factions after the fall of Fulgencio Batista, and the ascendancy of Fidel Castro's 26 July movement. He also discusses the military trials which were taking place, the influence of communism in the trade unions, and attitudes toward the international labor movement. In July, Alexander describes changes made by the Castro government, communist infiltration of the 26 July movement, and agrarian reform. Castro, Alexander writes, "is certainly not a Communist." Other subjects discussed include the Frondizi government's attempt to implement free-market policies in Argentina in 1959 and the building of the new Brazilian capital, Brasilia.